How to transfer a photo from your phone to your Xiaomi phone: all the ways with pros and cons

Transferring photos between Xiaomi smartphones may seem like a trivial task, but in practice users face a lot of nuances: from file size restrictions to compatibility problems between models of different years. In 2026, owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi devices have at least 5 current ways to share pictures - from the proprietary solution Mi Share to universal protocols like Wi-Fi Direct. Each method has its own characteristics: somewhere speed is important, somewhere - quality is safe, and in some cases energy efficiency is critical (for example, when transferring hundreds of photos on a weak battery).

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the options available, from the fastest to the most reliable, taking into account the specifics of MIUI 14/15 firmware and the features of the Qualcomm/Mediatek iron platform. You’ll learn how to get around typical errors (for example, “Device not found” in Mi Share), what settings optimize the process, and why it is sometimes easier to use a third-party cloud than built-in tools. For convenience, we have compiled a comparative table of transfer speed and compatibility, and added interactive widgets to help you choose the best way for your task.

1. Mi Share - Xiaomi proprietary protocol

Mi Share (formerly Xiaomi File Transfer) is a proprietary file sharing solution for Xiaomi ecosystem devices, including smartphones, tablets and even laptops with MIUI+. The protocol runs on Wi-Fi Direct, but is optimized for the company’s hardware, which should theoretically provide high speed and stability.

To send a photo via Mi Share:

• 📱 Open the Gallery on the original phone, highlight the necessary photos and tap "Share" → "Mi Share".
• 🔍 On the target device, enable Mi Share via the notification panel or in Settings → Connection and sharing → Mi Share.
• 🔄 Confirm the connection on both phones (no password required if the devices are linked to the same Mi Account).
• ⚡ Wait until the transfer is complete. Progress is shown as a percentage.

Transfer speeds through Mi Share vary from 5 to 15 MB/s depending on the model and version of MIUI. For example, on Xiaomi 13 Pro with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and MIUI 15 100 photos weighing ~500 MB will be transmitted in 30-40 seconds, while on Redmi Note 8 (2019) the same process will take 2-3 minutes.

⚠️ Warning: If Mi Share doesn't find the second device, check whether Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on both phones (even if they're not directly used). MIUI 14+ If the power saving mode is activated, it can block the background data transmission.

2. Bluetooth: universal, but slow

Bluetooth remains the most versatile way to transfer files between any smartphone, but its speed and reliability leave much to be desired. Xiaomi devices use Bluetooth 5.0-5.3 protocol, which theoretically allows you to achieve speeds up to 2 MB / s. However, in practice, due to firmware limitations and interference, the real speed rarely exceeds 500-800 KB / s.

Instructions for transmission via Bluetooth:

1. Activate Bluetooth on both phones (notification panel or Settings → Bluetooth).
2. On the original device, select a photo in the Gallery, tap "Share" → "Bluetooth".
3. Select the target device from the list and confirm the file reception on the second phone.

Bluetooth’s main advantage is its low power consumption (compared to Wi-Fi), which is important when transferring small files on a low charge. However, for packets of 50+ photos, it is better to choose another method: for example, transferring 10 pictures of 5 MB each will take ~ 1 minute, and 100 photos - already 10-15 minutes.

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If Bluetooth is permanently breaking the connection, try to turn off Wi-Fi on both devices – sometimes interference from wireless networks interferes with stable transmission.

3. Wi-Fi Direct: A Fast Alternative to Mi Share

Wi-Fi Direct is a wireless wireless data standard that works on all Android devices, including other brands. Transfer speeds can reach 20 to 30 MB/s (on Xiaomi 12T Pro with Wi-Fi 6), but is highly dependent on the environment: walls, other Wi-Fi networks, and even microwave ovens can reduce speeds by 2-3 times.

How to transfer photos via Wi-Fi Direct:

• 📶 On your target phone, enable Wi-Fi Direct in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Wi-Fi Direct.
• 🔗 On the source device in the Share menu, select "Wi-Fi Direct" and connect to the target phone.
• 📤 Send files. You may need confirmation when you first connect. PIN-code.

The advantages of Wi-Fi Direct over Mi Share:

• ✅ Works with any Android device (including Samsung, Huawei).
• ✅ Less bugs when transferring large files (>1GB).
• ✅ Supports simultaneous sending to multiple devices (in theory).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Wi-Fi Direct may conflict with Mi Share. If one of the apps doesn't work, try disabling the other in the settings.

4. Cloud services: reliable, but not always fast

Using cloud storage, such as Mi Cloud, Google Photos or Yandex Drive, is convenient if you want to transfer a photo to a device that is physically far away, but this method has two key drawbacks: speed limits (especially on the mobile Internet) and image compression (in Google Photos when choosing the “High Quality” option).

Comparison of cloud services for Xiaomi:

Instructions for Mi Cloud:

1. Upload photos to Mi Cloud through Gallery → Select → Share → Mi Cloud.
2. On the second phone, open Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Photos and download files.

5. Cable OTG/USB: maximum speed and reliability

Direct cable is the fastest and most reliable way to transfer large amounts of data, and Xiaomi will need:

• 🔌 USB-C OTG-Adapter (if one of the phones connector) USB-C, And on the other, Micro-USB).
• 🔗 Cable USB-C — USB-C (modern-model).
• 📱 File Manager (e.g., built-in file manager) MIUI File Manager or Solid Explorer).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phones with a cable. MIUI notice "USB-Connection - select "File Transfer".
2. Open the File Manager on the original phone, find the DCIM/Camera folder and copy the photo.
3. Insert files into the Internal Storage/DCIM folder on the target device.

Cable transmission speeds are 40 to 60 MB/s (on USB 3.0) and 5 to 10 MB/s (on USB 2.0), which is 5 to 10 times faster than air, but requires additional accessories and is not always convenient for spontaneous transmission.

OTG support on both phones (in Settings → Additional → OTG)

Cable quality (cheap cables can limit speeds to USB 2.0)

Battery charge (transfer of large files drains the battery by 10-15%)

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6 Third-party applications: when embedded tools are not enough

If standard methods do not work (for example, due to outdated firmware or hardware limitations), third-party applications come to the rescue.

• 📲 Xender – cross-platform solution with support for Wi-Fi Direct and speeds up to 20 MB / s.
• 🔗 Send Anywhere – Transfer via temporary links (convenient for large packets).
• 🌐 Snapdrop – web service for transmission over a local network (does not require installation).

Example of using Xender:

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play or Mi App Store.
2. On the original device, select "Send", on the target - "Receive".
3. Scan it. QR-code or connect via Wi-Fi Direct.

Third-party apps often circumvent MIUI restrictions, but have their own risks: some of them (like little-known Chinese utilities) may request excessive permissions or display ads.

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For transferring photos between Xiaomi and iPhone, the best choice is Send Anywhere or Snapdrop, since Mi Share and Wi-Fi Direct are incompatible with iOS.

Comparison of all methods: what to choose?

The choice of method depends on three key factors: speed, convenience and compatibility. Below is a summary table for quick decision-making:

A critical nuance for Xiaomi owners: on devices with a Mediatek chipset (for example, Redmi Note 11 or POCO M4 Pro), the speed of Wi-Fi Direct can drop to 5-10 MB / s due to hardware limitations of the Wi-Fi module. In such cases, the OTG cable will be 3-4 times faster.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos to Xiaomi